Meditation and What I Believe

I was browsing through some blogs and came across this article about getting rid of “I” or the self. This post really irked me for some reason. It made me realize, though, that I hadn’t touched on perhaps the most important part of meditation.

Let me start by laying out some basic beliefs that I have. They are my beliefs and I’m not asking you to come down to the river and join me in believing them. Take it or leave it.

The first one is: everyone knows there is a God. Maybe you don’t call it God, maybe you’ve come up with some great arguments as to why God doesn’t exist, but the bottom line is that “I” am not the greatest power in the universe. It never ceases to amaze me that people who study the vastness of the universe and realize our miniscule part in the cosmos are the first to say there is no greater  power than their ability to reason.

My second belief is that this power, whatever you want to call it, animates us humans. The purpose of meditation is to improve the connection between us and the power that animates us… in other words, to connect me and you to the source of life. There are many ways that we can connect with that source… just about every form of creative expression is a way to this power. Meditation is an internal, direct means of doing so. Through it, you become a better conduit, a better instrument, for that power.

When people start out down the spiritual highway, some of the first people they meet is the New Age folks. These people basically teach a form of spiritual materialism. You can find them among the name-it/claim-it Chirstians as well. You are God and therefore you can create the life you want, if only you’d realize this fact. Or because you are saved, God feels like kissing your ass and giving you everything you want. This sounds so wonderful…

“I need money so all I need to do is think of more money.”

“I just pray to God that I need more money. Praise the Lord. Amen.” 

As you make your way along the spiritual path, the more you realize that you are not, in fact, God. Spirituality isn’t about you and what you want. The people who preach this stuff are selling snake oil.

Ok… so then people go to the opposite end of the spectrum: destroy the ego. The problem is “I”. When “I” disappears, there is only One. Or all I want to do is sing praises to God here in this monastery. This is spiritual nihilism.

You feel guilty any time you want some ice cream or you want to get laid. You get all judgemental (i.e. jealous) when you see others that have things like a car or a family. It’s a sign that you are still a human being. Personally, I find this type of thinking to be more destructive than the New Age folks.

Watch closely teachers who preach this idea and you will see one of the largest egos ever to walk the face of the earth. These people literally take other people’s egos and add it to their own. Scary.

The answer lies right in the middle between these two extremes. You aren’t the power that animates you, but if “you” didn’t exist the whole point of finding that power becomes an example of futility.

You have to accept down to the core that you aren’t God. It isn’t about your petty desires. It isn’t about being perfect. That is ego death. After that, you are reborn as an instrument of the power that created you (which is what you are to begin with). Your purpose: to improve your connection to life both within and without. Real simple stuff.

One last thing: Life is about our connections to people. It’s about people and not things. Look to improve your connection to others and the things you want or need will be there.

Namaste (which means “I recognize the One in you”)